


Sonsick

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (even tho it's spring), Alternate Universe - College/University, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), F/M, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gen, It's also a secret playlist, Light Angst, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Summer Love, Swearing, Trans Female Pidge | Katie Holt, frenemies to lovers, lots of swearing, oblivious idiots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-06-26 02:17:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15653715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: ”I'll fall for you soon enoughI resolve to loveNow I know it's just another fuckCause I'm old enoughSell lies like their only trustIt will pick me upI'll fall for you soon enough”Spring break is the perfect excuse for doing dumb, reckless things. As they spend a week in a beach house together with their friends, Lance and Keith can't help but wonder if there's anything more dumb and reckless than falling in love.





	1. Tonight I'm Getting Over You

“Lance, could you move?”

“No. I’m super busy.”

“You’re literally just lying there. What could you be doing?”

“Wallowing. Can’t a man wallow in peace?”

“Not when he is on the way of the socket.”

Grunting, Lance scooted his body to a corner of the bed so Pidge could plug in her computer and sit at the newly freed space.

“Thanks.”–She made a weird curtsy.–“Wallow at will.”

He mumbled something into his pillow that could’ve been a curse.

“Come on, man, snap out of it,” said Hunk, from the other bed. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Not that big of a deal?” Lance shouted, bringing his torso up on his elbows. “She dumped me. I got dumped. Me, Lance McClain”–and threw his head back onto the pillow.

“It’s not like that.”

“Yeah,” Pidge agreed, only half into the conversation. “She can’t have dumped you if you guys were never together.”

“Pidge!” Hunk called out.

“Don’t ‘Pidge’ me, you know I’m right.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to say it,” he added, through gritted teeth.

“And to make matters worse, we’re staying here for spring break. Like some kind of lame nerds,” Lance complained, pouting and sitting up in a ball next to his friend. “You guys I can understand. But me? Party boy Lance spending spring break on campus? Unacceptable.”

“Hey, hey, hey! You’re the one who vetoed going to Apia.”

“It’s just... You know I love your parents, man, but I wanted to do something with just us for once. Something fun and stupid.”

“Lance, everything with you is fun and stupid,” Pidge commented, barely raising her eyes from the laptop’s screen.

“That’s...uncharacteristically nice of you. I think. Thanks?”

“Anytime.”–She smirked. –“Moreover, if you’re looking for fun, the frats are throwing a party tonight.”

He frowned.

“And how do you, of all people, know that?”

“Matt told me,” she explained, with a shrug.

“But I haven’t finished wallowing yet.”

“One more reason for you to go,” Hunk pointed out. “Nothing better than having a couple drinks and interacting with some good looking people to get over your ‘break up’.”

“Were the air quotes really necessary?”

“One hundred percent.”

Lance sighed and dramatically threw his arms up.

“Fine. Let’s go, then.”

“No can do, buddy. My parents are dropping Matt off and picking me up in twenty minutes and I still have to finish this essay,” Pidge explained.

“We’re like two hours away from the break.”

“Exactly why I need to keep typing and not let myself get distracted by your shenanigans.”

“Ugh. Hunk, my buddy, my man? You’re coming, right?”

“Do I have to?”

“You remember what happened last time I went out by myself, right?”

Hunk’s face scrunched up almost in instinct.

“I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t remember.”

“Also, you never know who’s gonna be there.”–Lance wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. –“Maybe a certain geology major that could probably bench press me and has a heart of gold.”

“I don’t even have to say that I’m sold, do I?”

“Nope. Your lovey-dovey face says it all.”

“I don’t–”

“Yes, you do,” Pidge interrupted. “Your face is, like, glowing red.”

“I just like her,” he explained, in a tiny voice. 

“And that’s adorable,” Lance said, stretching his arms over the space in between the beds to squish his friend’s cheeks. “Now, to the party!” he exclaimed, jumping up with hands of his hips as if burdened with great purpose. “Hum, Pidgeon, where’s the party?”

“Do I have to do everything in this house? Just follow the loud music.”

He groaned.

“Please?”

She smiled a devilish grin.

“Right after the football field.”

“Thank you.”–He smiled back. –“Don’t wait for me up, honey.”

He picked up a coat from the floor and left the room with a flourish. A second later, his head appeared on the threshold.

“Hunk? Let’s go.”

With a sigh, Hunk followed Lance.

“Wish me luck,” he asked Pidge before leaving.

“Yeah, you’re gonna need it.”

*******

Turns out “right after the football field” was Pidge’s way of saying it was a fifteen-minute walk away from the campus, where there was nothing but a grove that extended a few miles until the interstate.

The party was a lot more packed then she had made it sound like. The music wasn’t loud, it was deafening, and someone had figured out a way to install huge spinning lights hanging on trees.

“Wow,” Lance mumbled.

“I’m going to try and find us some drinks, okay? Don’t move.”

He only nodded as Hunk walked away. He spotted some classmates and a couple of boys who he always saw on the accommodation, but he’d never seen most of those people. Where had they all come from? Were they all students there? It seemed unlikely.

A group of girls were beside him. They sang and danced, completely oblivious to his–or anyone’s–presence. One of them, short dyed hair and a floral shirt, looked up at him. He winked at her. She giggled and he smiled back. That was going better than expected. But, was she being flirtatious or did she only find him funny? It was hard to tell. She was having fun with her friends and Lance was just a cute boy she probably would forget when the song changed. He could be there with Nyma, hadn’t she dumped him. It felt so unfair that she could tell him she didn’t feel the same and just leave for a nice week on the Bahamas. He would never wish her harm and she had every right to dump him, but it was extra shitty knowing that his suffering was one-sided.

“Drinks!” Hunk announced, trying not to spill the beverages on the dancing people around him. 

Lance gladly accepted the cup and took a swig. It tasted like cleaning products smell.

“Oh my God, what the fuck is this?”

“I really don’t know.”–The other boy took a suspicious whiff of the drink. –“It’s the only thing they had. Well, this and a keg stand competition. Your choice.”

Lance downed the rest of his drink.

“It gets better after the first sip.”

“How much better?”

“Not much,” he admitted.

“At least they’re free.”

He smiled. Hunk was the absolute best.

“Now come on, Loverboy. Let’s go find someone cute to get you out of that slump.”

After an hour and a half, Lance knew there was something wrong with him. Many people had looked at him in a way he was sure it was flirty, and every time one of them approached he made up some weird excuse. He told the cute girl with the nose ring that he wasn’t single. He told the short boy with the tattoos and the flowy hair that he was sick. The cheerleader with the sharpest eyeliner he had ever seen listened to him tell a fake story about having a mouth surgery.

Also, he was very, very drunk. Those cups were probably filled with just pure gasoline because it hit him fast and hard. He tripped on his own feet more than a couple of times and he was sure the words coming out of his mouth didn’t sound like anything other than gibberish. But he had gone there with a mission, and he was determined not to leave until he had accomplished it.

“That one looks nice,” Hunk pointed out, gesturing not so discretely at a boy with his back turned to them.

He did look nice. Lance supposed he had the kind of vibe that girls mean when they say they want a bad boy. And if his face looked half as good as his ass did on those tight jeans, he was downright godly.

Lance took a deep breath.

“Okay. That’s the one.”

“You sure? I thought you wouldn’t be into the hair.”

The ponytail wasn’t exactly his style, but it suited the boy’s general aesthetic.

“I’m sure. I think.”–He took a step forward and froze. –“Can I have the rest of your drink?”

“Last one,” Hunk warned, and passed him the cup, then mumbled, “Liquid courage.”

“Okay. How do I look?”

“To be honest, kind of sweaty.”

“Hunk!” the other cried out.

“I’m joking, you look great. Go get him, tiger.”

“Please, never say that again,” he asked, already walking away.

Up close, the boy seemed a little bit tense. That kind of weird posture you get when you’re trying to show you’re having fun but, in reality, you’d rather be anywhere else. Like someone dragged him along. Like a friend. Or even maybe girlfriend, even though there wasn’t one in sight. Oh, God, what if he wasn’t into guys? What if Lance had to sit through the boy having to awkwardly explain how he was flattered, but no thanks?

“So, are you an alien?” Lance asked, praying that he hadn’t just picked the cheesiest pickup line ever. “ ‘Cause your body is out of this world.”

There was a flash of a smile when the boy started to turn around to face him and then an alarm rang on his head. 

“Keith? Keith Kogane?”

“I’m sorry.”–Keith made a weird expression, half frown, half smile. How hadn’t he seen that it was Keith? _Wow_ , he must be pretty wasted to think Keith was hot. –“Do we know each other?”

“Hum, yes? Lance McClain. We were like, rivals in senior year of high school.”

“I’m really sorry, but you’re confusing me with someone else.”

He huffed.

“You can’t not remember me. We were Lance and Keith, neck and neck.”

“Not ringing any bells.”

That had to be a joke. It was impossible that Keith didn’t remember him. He only got into college because Keith dropped out at the last minute–even though he would never admit that out loud. Lance looked around. Where was Hunk? Hunk could side with him and tell stupid Keith how the two of them were the fiercest of rivals. And...Hunk had disappeared. Shit.

“Excuse me,” Keith got his attention back, “are you okay? Are you lost?”

“Excuse you! I’m not–”

“Lance?” someone called from the crowd. “Lance, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you!”

“Oh my God!” Lance exclaimed, finally pinpointing the source of the voice. He brought his friend in for a hug. “Hi, Shiro. Sorry, rough semester.”

“You don’t tell me. I will die before I can finish that thesis.”

“I can only imagine.”

Shiro smiled.

He was Matt’s best friend and had been Lance’s, Pidge’s and Hunk’s salvation when they got in. While the three of them worked on their majors, Shiro suffered because of his PhD about extraterrestrial life.

“I see you’ve met my troublemaker brother,” he pointed out and Keith’s cheeks got slightly red.

“What?”

“Keith,” he put, simply, as if it was enough of an answer.

“Yeah, I know Keith, but–”

“Are you doing something this break?”

The abrupt change of subject made Lance’s drunk brain panic. It was a lot of information to process at once. Also, Keith was staring at him like he was something he needed to get rid of, like a bug that got into his car.

“I don’t have any plans,” he answered, feeling kind of numb.

“You should come with us to the lake. Allura’s family has this amazing summer house a few hours away and we’re spending the week there.”

What was happening? Was Shiro some kind of wish-granting angel?

“That sounds incredible.”–His mind was suddenly clean of everything that wasn’t related to the words week, lake and house. Nyma? Gone. Keith? Gone. All the alcohol he drank? Still very much there, but you can have it all. –“Can Hunk and Pidge come too?”

“Of course! Allura always complains about how empty the house feels. She’ll love to have you guys over. We’re leaving tomorrow right after lunch. From the main parking lot.”

“Yes, that’s amazing! I have to find Hunk.”

Lance couldn’t stop bouncing. That day had just taken a monumental shift. He saw someone that could be Hunk. He had to go.

“Thanks, Shiro. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Hope to see you there.”

“Oh, you will.”–He smiled and took a bow, just for the heck of it. –“Bye, Kogane.”  
He wasn’t sure what was the look on Keith’s face as he walked away to find his friend, but it felt good.


	2. Shotgun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone!
> 
> This is the chapter in which things start to really settle into place for where the story is going. 
> 
> I did a basic outline for I’m planning will happen in the first ten chapters or so, so I’m hoping the hiatus between chapters won’t be that big, even though I can’t promisse anything because of my real life obligations.
> 
> One last thing: there’s a big chunk of this chapter that is basically a long string of dialog. I’m sorry about it, but it was needed. I tried to format that section in a way that’s comfortable and easy to understand.
> 
> Without further ado, happy reading!
> 
> (EDIT: in an earlier version of this chapter, it was called 'Life Is A Highway'. There were no alterations to the chapter itself, I just remembered George Ezra's 'Shotgun' and couldn't not use it as a chapter name, so I changed it.)

His head hurt. And not just a normal-post-night-of-drinking pain. It felt like the time when he and his siblings decided it was a good idea to dive off a cliff and he hit his head in a sandbank, passed out and his brain didn’t get enough oxygen for three minutes.

Also, there was someone really insistent trying to wake him up.

“Lance, we’re going to be late.”

They nudged him.

“It’s not working.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” they said, but there was no edge to it.

“Reach me that cup, please.”

“Pidge, what are you doing?”

“Reach me the cup.”

When Lance realized what was about to happen, it was already too late. Lukewarm liquid hit his face and soaked into his pillow. He jolted up.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Pidge greeted him with a sheepish grin.

“What the fuck was that?”

The liquid–definitely not water–clung to him and his clothes. It smelled way too sweet to be anything natural.

She shrugged. “It was on _your_ bedside table.”

“Guys,” Hunk called out, “we’re already running late.”

“Right. Come on, Lance, get up and get dressed. Where’s your suitcase?”

He pointed without much confidence towards the end of the bed. Pidge picked up the blue bag. It weighed nothing. She opened it and, inside, sat a single travel size toothbrush. That was all.

“Lance, my dearest friend, there’s nothing here except for a toothbrush,” Hunk pointed out.

“Oh, yeah,” Lance answered, mid-yawn. “I always forget to pack my toothbrush, so I decided it was a good idea to pack it first.”

“That’s a great technique, really great,” Pidge said. “Except for the fact that you forgot to pack _everything else_.”

“Oh, fuck. That’s not good. Am I in trouble?”

“Okay.”–She took a deep breath. –“Hunk, can you take care of the bag situation while I try to make him look not dead?”

“Sure thing! Anything specific you want me to pack, buddy?”

“My best outfits only.”

She opened her mouth. Lance pointed a finger at her face.

“Don’t you dare say that ‘he doesn’t have to pack anything then’,” he warned, making a surprisingly good impression of her voice.

“Go wash your face,” she said, simply.

When he came out of the bathroom, washed and changed, Pidge handed him a cup of water and an Advil. Hunk shifted his weight from one foot to another, holding tightly to all three of their bags.

“I don’t want to sound too repetitive, but we’re super late.”

They walked the faster Lance’s hangover body could and got to the parking lot to find Shiro and Allura playing cards on the hood of the car.

“Guys!” Shiro called out, opening a wide smile. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“We had a small delay,” Pidge explained, darting her eyes in Lance’s direction.

“Thanks for the invite. Allura, I hope it’s okay that we came?” Hunk asked, shyly.

“Of course!” she agreed, her thick English accent always adding an extra layer of charm. “The more, the merrier, right? We haven’t all hanged out in a while. It’s going to be a lot of fun!”

“You can start to get comfy in the car, if you’d like,” Shiro offered. Lance promptly laid down across one of the seats and closed his eyes. “We’re just waiting for...There he is.” He smiled and waved his hand high in the air.

From across the parking lot, a running figure waved back. Panting, Keith approached them.

“Sorry I’m late. I’m...was...hum...thanks for waiting.”

“Of course,” Allura said, with a smile. “Come on, everyone, get in. Hopefully, we can still make it there before it gets dark.”

She took the wheel, Shiro beside her, while Keith helped Hunk to get all the bags in the trunk. Pidge nudged Lance so he’d open space. Hunk took the last seat in the middle row, and Keith squeezed past them to sit down in the back.

“Seatbelts, everyone,” Shiro demanded.

“Yes, dad,” Pidge mocked.

She caught him rolling his eyes through the rear view mirror. Fighting with the seatbelt and Lance’s legs getting into her personal space, she kneeled in the seat and turned around to face the boy in the back.

“Long time, no see.”

Keith raised his eyes from his phone slightly apathetically, but gave the girl a grin when he saw it was her. He shrugged.

“Guess I haven’t looked down in a while.”

“Neither have you cut your hair, I see,” she pointed out, stretching her arm to ruffle his raven black locks.

“It’s kind of my trademark look, I can’t just cut it.”

“I’m sure mullets will come back to fashion soon and you’ll be a huge trendsetter.”

Lance jolted up on his seat.

“Who’s talking about mullets?”

“Oh, here we go.”–Hunk sighed. –“Weren’t you asleep?”

“I was, until I heard that cursed word and...Kogane? What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Hey! Language!” Shiro warned.

“Don’t you even try to come at me with this righteous bullshit. You have the foulest mouth I’ve ever heard words come out of,” Keith blurted out, pointing an accusatory finger in the front seat’s direction.

Allura laughed.

“You do curse a lot.”

“I do not!”

“You’re the one who taught me how to say...” she trailed off. “I don’t want to say it.”

“Guys!” Lance shouted. “I’m all in for exposing Shiro, and _please_ continue to do so after, but can someone tell me what my arch nemesis is doing here?”

“Your arch nemesis?” Shiro asked.

“Keith,” explained Hunk, at the same time as Keith announced, “Me.”

“Keith is Shiro’s brother, dumbass,” Pidge whispered through gritted teeth.

“How’s that possible? I mean, Shiro is cool and good looking, whereas Kogane is...” he made a vague gesture towards the back seat. “Well, he is Kogane.”

“We’re–”Shiro began.

“I’m adopted, if that’s what you’re asking,” Keith interrupted. “Hence, we have different surnames, look different and, apparently, don’t share the same level of coolness.”

The car got silent. Pidge facepalmed. Hunk looked at the two boys rapidly, like he was watching a tennis match. Lance repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, a strong blush crawling up his neck.

“Oh,” he finally said. “I didn’t...hum...I’m–”

“ _Don’t_. Say. You’re. Sorry.” Keith warned, ignoring the volition to shush Lance with a finger. “I was raised by a cool, loving family and we had lots of fun.”

Shiro turned around, a proud grin on his lips.

“We did?”

“God, you’re sentimental.”

His smile turned into a weird childish pout. His little brother sighed.

“Yeah, we did.”

“Now, where’s my kiss?”

“Oh, fuck off, old man!”

“Language!” the other four occupants of the car demanded, in unison, then laughed.

“This is going to be a long trip,” Shiro murmured, but couldn’t help but smiling.

*******

Keith couldn’t shake the thought he shouldn’t be there. His suitcase had been halfway packed for nearly two weeks, after he abandoned it upon deciding he didn’t want to go. Of course, he had changed his mind about five minutes before the time Shiro scheduled for leaving, and threw everything at arm’s reach into the bag before rushing to the parking lot.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go. He was sure it was going to be a fun trip. Shiro was his brother, whom he loved immensely–despite all the bickering–, and Allura had to be one of the nicest people he had ever met. It was that little voice in his head saying that Allura only invited him out of pity, so that he wouldn’t feel left out and had to be alone for a whole week. Would she do that? Probably, had Shiro asked for it. Would _he_ do that? It was very likely.

But Lance, Pidge, and Hunk were also invited, and they didn’t need that kind of social charity.

Was he overthinking that? Probably. It did seem very lame to be theorizing about why you got invited to a nice thing on your way to said thing. He needed to chill. He could do that. That week was going to mark the birth of a new him, Chill Keith, who... _had he packed his toothbrush?_

“I’m bored,” announced Lance, pulling Keith up from his absentmindedness.

“Yes, we heard it the last _fifteen times,_ ” Pidge complained, barely raising her eyes from the portable console she was playing in.

“Then do something!”

“Yeah, I’m thinking of something to do,” Keith heard her murmur and knew that, whatever it was, Lance was not going to like it.

“We can play a game!” Allura chimed in. “I too am getting a bit restless.”

“What about the movie game?” Hunk suggested. “I know even Pidge likes that one. Helps exercise her little gremlin brain.”

“Sounds fun! What are the rules?” Shiro asked.

“Well, the first person names an actor or actress of their choice. Then, the next player has to name a movie that actor was in and the next one has to name another actor in that movie and so on,” Pidge explained. “Whoever can’t keep up has to wait until the next round.”

“Yes! I love that one,” Lance celebrated. “Let’s go Allura, Shiro, Hunk, Kogane, Pidge, and me, then Allura again. That’s assuming Mr. Emo McGloomy wants to play,” he added, turning his head back to stare at Keith.

“I don’t–”

“Don’t think you’re up to the challenge?”

Keith felt his insides squirming. Who did Lance think he was to say shit like that? Very bold of him to lay a challenge so unprovoked.

“Sure, I’ll play.”

Lance gave him a crooked grin that he answered with a raised eyebrow.

“Allura, you can start.”

“Okay. Hum...Let’s start off easy. **Kate Winslet**.”

“ **Titanic**.”

“ **DiCaprio**. I still can’t believe she let him die.”

“She didn’t let him die, he chose to stay in the freezing water. **Shutter Island**.”

“ **Mark Ruffallo**. Yeah, he definitely wasn’t the smartest guy.”

“Guys, you’re missing the whole point! He didn’t choose to die, he chose her life over his. It’s about love and sacrifice. **13 Going On 30**.”

“ **Jennifer Garner**. But why do love and sacrifice have to walk hand in hand?”

“Also, why did someone have to die? The board had enough space for both of them. **Million Dollar Baby**?”

Lance made a buzzer noise.

“Shiro’s out.”

“No, really?”

“Yup,” Pidge confirmed. “That’s Hilary Swank. Hunk, keep it going.”

“Oh, **Daredevil**.”

“God, that’s not a good memory. **Ben Affleck.** ”

“ **Good Will Hunting**. Yeah, the show’s a lot better.”

“Hey, no spoilers! You know I haven’t watched it yet. **Matt Damon**.”

“ **The Martian**. It’s great, Lance. You really should catch up. Charlie Cox is a cutie.”

“ **Sean Bean** , who surprisingly made it alive to the end of the movie.”

“ **Lord Of The Rings**.”

Lance scoffed. “Nerd.”

“ **Cate Blanchett**. Lance, you _love_ Lord Of The Rings.”

“ **Ocean’s Eight**. I’m not interested in anything that Keith is.”

Shiro and Pidge traded a look through the rear view mirror.

“Then I think you’ll have to stop hitting on dudes,” she mumbled.

When Lance understood what that meant, Allura had already named “ **Sandra Bullock**.” So Kogane was gay? He _did_ seem okay with Lance flirting with him the night before.

“ **Valentine’s Day**.”

Pidge laughed. “Hunk, you’re out. You’re thinking of Julia Roberts.

“Oh, no. I always mix them.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry, buddy. Keith, your chance to steal.”  
****

“ **The Heat**.”

“Really?”

Keith shrugged. “It’s a really fun movie. Are you going to complain about all my answers or are you playing?”

“It’s Pidge’s turn.”

“God, you two are insufferable. **Marlon Wayans**.”  
****

“ **White Chicks**. Satisfied?”

“ **Terry Crews**.”

“ **Bridesmaids**.”

“Terry Crews is not on Bridesmaids!”

“Yes, he is.”

“No, he _isn’t_! Pidge?”

“He’s that fitness instructor, Lance.”

“Oh...yeah.”

“I think that’s an automatic declassification,” Keith pointed out.

“I think so too. Lance, you’re out.”

“What? That’s not fair!”

“You challenged Keith’s answer and he was right. So, you’re out.”

Lance slumped on his seat.

“I hate this game.”

Allura made a mocking sad face.

“Looks like we have a sore loser.”

“That’s no big news. Hum... **The Expendables**.”

“Don’t you mean ‘Testosterone: The Movie’? **Stallone**.”

“ **Rocky**. The first one.”

Pidge froze. Everyone stared at her, waiting. She blushed.

“I’ve never actually seen Rocky.”

“Come on, Pidgeon, I know you can do it,” Lance encouraged.

“I don’t...I really don’t know.”

“Pidge, you’re out,” Hunk announced, in awe. “Allura?”

“ **Carl Weathers**.”

Shiro frowned.

“Who?”

“Carl Weathers,” she repeated. “He plays Apollo Creed.”

Keith chuckled. “I didn’t think anyone else knew that one. She got me.”

“That means you can’t name another movie?” his brother asked.

He shrugged. “I got nothing.”

“Then, it is with great pleasure that I crown Allura as the queen of the movie game,” Hunk announced, as Lance made cornet noises in the background.

“Thank you, everyone,” she said with an amped up version of her accent that made her sound posh instead of charming, and took the best bow she could while still watching the road. “Congratulations to my fellow competitors, it was an honor just to be alongside you and I wish I could split this award among us all. I would like to thank my parents, for indulging my wish to watch the same movies every night, and the internet, for existing when I can’t remember where I know that actor from,” she addressed them while waving around an invisible trophy.

“Wow,” Lance mumbled. “I can’t believe Pidge lost her title.”

“At least it wasn’t to one of you dufouses. I’m honored to pass my championship belt to Allura.”

“Aw, thanks, Pidge. We can share.”

“I appreciate the thought, but you can bet I’m winning it back.”

“Oh. Okay then. Bring it on...nerd.”

Shiro cackled. “That’s the worst you can do?”

“I don’t actually want to be mean. I really like Pidge,” Allura whispered.

“You’re too pure for this world.”

“Indeed. How I ended up with you bunch of heathens, I will never understand.”

“You can just say you love us already.”

“Over my dead body, Takashi.”

Laughs. 

Silence.

“Guys? I’m bored.”

*******

It was very hot in the car. Even with the AC turned on the highest setting, the temperature was on the brink of being unbearable. They were hungry, and tired, and sore. And also really needed to pee.

Allura kept saying they were close, but the last town they passed was a good two hours behind and there was nothing ahead to be seen except for trees. Lance was blissfully asleep–even though his peacefulness was kind of ruined by the fact that Pidge had scribbled on his forehead with permanent marker when her gameboy ran out of battery. The radio was on its lowest volume, just audible enough to know it was on, and Shiro would sometimes break the silence by singing along to the choruses. Hunk build a tiny machine with a bunch of spare bits he found in his pockets and kept tearing it apart and putting it back together until his eyes got tires of staring at the little pieces and he joined Lance on his nap. Keith mostly looked out the window and let his thoughts drift away to wherever they wanted, hoping they would be cautious enough not to wander into forbidden territory.

When it seemed like the trees would never stop coming, Allura took a turn and Keith saw something glisten in the distance. Pulling himself out of the slumped position he had fallen into for the last couple of hours, he stared at that light.

It was the lake. Or rather the beginning of it, the point where the river got wider and wider and pooled in a calm and steady body of water. It shimmered like nothing Keith had ever seen, the last moments of sunlight hitting the surface with what seemed planned precision. He felt a sudden urge to swim. _Now. Stop the car, let me get in._

“Wow.”

“It really is something, isn’t it?” Allura asked, careful not to wake up the sleeping passengers. “Reminds me a whole lot of home.”

“This looks like the opposite of the place I grew up in,” he answered and saw Shiro’s awed expression tremble for a second, the memory of the house where Keith first grew up sparking in his mind.

Further away, he could see the huddle of buildings that made up the summer town, and a pier coming alive with colorful lights. It felt eerie, like something pulled out form a child’s dream, where everything is shiny and full of color and light and Keith couldn’t look away.

“It’s so pretty,” Lance said. Keith hadn’t even noticed he had woken up. There was a huge red dent on his forehead from sleeping against the window. “That’s a huge ass lake.”

Oh God.

“Third largest lake in North America,” Pidge replied. “So, yeah, you could say it’s a huge ass one.”

“Are we there yet?” Hunk yawned.

“Almost. The house is right there,” Allura explained, pointing towards where the bigger houses were, nestled neatly in the margin. “Ours is that one,” she indicated, narrowing her eyes to better spot the house in the distance, “with all the windows.”

The road was full of curves and sometimes got further away from the lake, but it mostly ran alongside it, following the natural course and uncertainty of that old beauty. Everyone looked out their windows with weird admiration, a weird feeling because they made it there just in time to watch that spectacular sunset. Such luck, such fortuity to witness that. Maybe they were just sleepy and hungry, but sometimes it felt nice to think there was something magical about life.

The town was already at full steam, thriving in the restart of the season it was built for. Cars with rowdy occupants, barely out of teenagehood, flied through the streets, speakers blasting loud–and many times obscene–music. Up close there was a lot less of that uncanny feeling, that restlessness the first sighting had provided them. But, as they got away from the center of the city and more towards where Allura had pointed out the house was, it slowly came back, even if more subsided.

The whole neighborhood was a sight to behold, pristine houses built with old money, planned to survive through the years so that the owner’s children and their children after them could go there during the summer and be regular people for a while. Then Allura pulled up on the driveway and there was an unison gasp. As she had pointed out miles back, the house was mostly windows. Square, three floors and a big chunk of the lake’s border at their disposal. There were four other cars parked inside, each painted in a vibrant different color, and a big volume that looked a lot like a boat was covered by a tarp.

“Welcome, everyone,” said a voice coming into the garage.

“Coran!” Allura celebrated, running to jump in the man’s arms. “Everyone, you already know Coran. He is going to help us take care of the house while we’re here.”

“So, he is going to babysit us?” Lance questioned.

“Oh, don’t think of it as babysitting! Think of it as someone who will look out for your safety and well being while also helping implement a comprehensive set of rules to keep everything running smoothly!” Coran explained, cheerfully.

“So, like a governess,” Pidge suggested.

“Yes! I like that a lot more,” he said. “Let me help you with the bags and show you to your rooms.”

They got into the house through the living room, but Allura and Coran didn’t care to give them a tour, instead going straight to the second floor.

“I took the liberty to split you up in pairs,” Coran explained. “The girls’ room is the last one on the right. Lance and Hunk will take the last one on the left and Keith and Shiro, this one,” he completed, indicating the door right beside them. “There are two bathrooms on the end of the hall. The house’s short on supplies, which means we’re ordering pizza. My room is this one, if you need anything,” he added. “Feel free to settle in and come down to eat whenever you feel hungry.”

Keith plopped down onto one of the beds in the room Coran had indicated was his and Shiro’s with a loud sigh. The room had two neatly made beds, a nightstand with a lamp, and a small two door closet. And a balcony hovering over the lake. With the sun down, it looked a lot more old and threatening than it did before, but it was an amazing sight nevertheless.

There was screaming in one of the others rooms, which probably meant Lance had discovered Pidge’s masterpiece on his face.

He turned his head to the side and Shiro was carefully removing squares of folded clothing from his bag and laying them down inside the closet.

“Shiro, we’re only staying a week. There’s no need to unpack.”

“Each crazy person to their own derangement.”–Shiro threw a towel at his brother.–“Go take a shower. I know you just slept with your party clothes yesterday and just washed your face this morning.”

“How do you know that?”

“You reek of deodorant. That’s what you used to do in middle school when you didn’t want to shower after practice.”

“Every teenage boy does that,” Keith mumbled.

“Doesn’t mean they should. Go on.”  
Grunting, he too his toiletry bag and Shiro’s towel to the bathroom. Not surprisingly, it was a very nice bathroom. Keith turned on the hot water and waited for the room to fill up with steam before going in. While shampooing his hair, he came to the realization that he hadn’t brought a change of clothes with him and he would have to walk past the girls room to get to his.

Thankfully, their door was closed and he came into his room to find Shiro deep asleep over the sheets and both of their bags unloaded into the closet.

He tiptoed downstairs, hungrily hunting for some pizza, and was greeted by Pidge, Lance and Hunk, thrown around the living room watching TV.

“Hey, man,” Pidge called. “Bring that ass over here.”

“We’re watching X-files reruns,” Hunk explained.

Keith took his plate and cup and nestled into a seat by Pidge’s side. “I love this episode,” he said.

He could remember his first time watching it, clear as day. Mulder and Scully had to face a family of serial killers and to this day Keith still had chills watching it. It was one of those genuinely scary episodes that either brought you to the edge of your seat or made you curl up in a ball.

“Should’ve wrapped your mullet in a towel,” Lance commented, out of the sudden. “It’s dripping all over your shirt.”

Keith looked down at the worn out shirt he wore as pajamas. Lance was right. His hair had gotten his shoulders and part of his back wet.

“Oh yeah. I know a very fast way to dry it, though,” he said, with a wicked grin, then stretched over to the couch where Lance was and shook his wet hair. Lance responded with a loud screech.

“Gross! Mullet water!”

Lance tried to push him away, but the deed was already done: his shirt and face were covered in cold water droplets. Keith giggled and Lance shed him an angry look before smiling.

“You can bet I’m getting revenge for this.”

“Shhhh,” Pidge hissed. “You’re going to miss the best part.”

Keith went back to his comfortable position. Throughout the episode, Pidge slowly leant into him to rest her head on his shoulder while having her legs hang over the armrest. Lance and Hunk were tangled in a mess of arms and legs that no one except them believed was comfortable.

The night went on, and so did the reruns, going into the late night. Somewhen around 3 a.m., Hunk decided to call it a night for him and Pidge, whom he let cling to his back like a tiny monkey.

“Good night, everyone,” he said, mid yawn. “Don’t take too long to go upstairs, I heard Allura and Coran saying we’re going to the city tomorrow to pick up groceries.”

“Thanks, bud,” Lance mumbled, already half asleep. “I’ll be right there in a sec.”–Then he turned to Keith.–“One more?”

Keith shrugged. “Sure.”

Fifteen minutes in, Lance was asleep. Keith knew it for sure because he stopped making comments about the show every thirty seconds, and he could see his chest rising in a very steady rhythm. He waited for the episode to end, then very carefully turned off the TV. _Now, what to do with the body on the couch?_ He thought about just leaving him there, but it didn’t seem like the nicest of sleeping positions, even in that extra nice couch. His neck was bended in a weird angle so his head rested on the arm rest and his legs looked a small movement away from falling off the edge.

Carefully, like he remembered Shiro would wake him up for school, Keith laid a hand on Lance’s shoulder and jounced him slightly.

“Lance?” he whispered. “Lance, wake up.”

“Luís?” Lance asked. “What are you doing here?”

“No. It’s Keith.”

He lazily opened his eyes and gave Keith a soft smile he had never been worthy of before.

“Hi, Keith.”

“Hi. You fell asleep on the couch. Your neck’s gonna get sore.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, without much conviction, and stretched. He stared at the other boy with hazy eyes.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Hum...good night.”

“Good night, Keith. I would say ‘sleep with the angels’, but I’mma gonna be in the other room.”

Keith bit down his snarky comeback.

“See you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to leave kudos and comment if you liked, it makes a really big difference!
> 
> Feel free to talk about your thoughts so far and make constructive criticism, it’s always appreciated.
> 
> Lots of love!


	3. Hymn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone!  
> It has been a while... I'm sorry for the long hiatus, I got a little desmotivated, so writing was hard. And on top of that, this semester is being extra insane and overwhelming.  
> Anyways, this chapter's song is Hymn by Kesha, which is without doubt one of the best on the album.  
> Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this one.
> 
> Happy reading!

Keith wished he had been given the option to stay in the house. Firstly, because the house had a functioning AC system, while the supermarket did not, and thermometers all around screamed it was 90ºF. Secondly, the supermarket was packed. There were normal looking people there, probably just doing their monthly groceries, who threw dirty glances to anyone they bumped into. But then, they had every right to do so, and Keith had already shed a few looks of his own to the never ending parade of rowdy teenagers pushing around their carts overfilled with alcohol, energy drinks and supersized Dorito bags. 

Also–and he wasn’t exactly sure why this made him angry, which only built into his anger–Lance kept trying to sneak things onto their own cart so Allura would fake chastise him. Keith knew Lance didn’t want those things. Not only they were aisle specific things he just grabbed at random as they passed by, Keith had seen him take out of the cart a jar of pickled eggs when he realized Allura hadn’t noticed he had put it in. Then, that meant that was just another one of Lance’s games. And boy, did he like his games. 

While they were on the car on their way there–Keith now accompanied by Pidge in the last row as Coran took Allura’s previous seat as the driver and everyone had to reorganize themselves–Lance had insisted on playing punch buggy. It was an awful idea, and no one really seemed into it, but he was contagious and insistent, so everyone agreed. Thankfully, Keith wasn’t seated next to him. Lance managed to see every red car in a 5km radius and Shiro’s and Hunk’s arms payed the price. Just so no one could’t complain he hadn’t joined in, Keith made sure to hit Pidge and Shiro at least once each, and let Pidge hit him back even thought the car she pointed out was bright orange, not red. 

Now, Lance kept putting weird things on the cart, pretending to not hear Allura when she asked who had picked up a family sized pack of fish flavored snacks. But Keith wasn’t going to be the one to ruin Lance’s fun, if Lance having fun with Allura meant Keith didn’t have to deal with him and their alleged rivalry. 

Even though he would rather be at the house, Keith was happy he at least hadn’t been given a task. Well, he had a task, but it was helping load the car after they were done, so he was on the clear for the time being. The supermarket was a mess and there was sweat dripping down his spine and Hunk had just thrown something really weird looking into the cart in a promise to cook it for dinner, but at least he was free to dwell on his own mind. 

And because he probably loved martyrizing himself, his mind immediately went to his good old “I shouldn’t be here” thought. They had completed a bit over half a day together and everything seemed to be going fine. All and all, the group functioned as a well oiled machine, everyone happy with their assigned roles and parts to play, which only made him feel more like the odd one out. It was hard not feeling like he was getting in everyone’s way and jeopardizing the functioning of their system, even though the morning had gone by swell, with nothing more than a fight over who–Keith or Lance–would use the bathroom first. Keith was a cog in the machine and it was just a matter of time before he jammed it for good. 

He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. There was no good in letting his mind sink in his intrusive thoughts. “Focus,” he thought. “Patience.” 

There was a melody stuck on his head since he woke up, and he was focused in trying to pull it up when everyone in front of him came to an abrupt stop. Keith bumped into Shiro, who had let himself get to the end of the line after Coran started singing an old nursery rhyme at the top of his lungs. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, backing up a couple steps. 

The aisle was narrow, other people passing them in the opposite direction, so it was hard to see the front of the group, but he could hear Allura speaking, her elegant voice rising above the uproar of the market, while Hunk, Pidge and Lance were crowded together next to the shelves. Hunk and Pidge were just exchanging their normal confidential looks, but Lance looked...upset. Keith peered from behind Shiro’s broad torso, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, and his eyes met the problem. There was a boy chatting with Allura, and a small pack of girls followed him. He was...very tall. So tall that Keith felt like Allura might get a sore neck from looking up at him so much. He had the same dark complexion she had, and a head full of long, shiny hair that immediately made Keith think of Legolas. The girls didn’t seem very interested in what he was talking about, except for one, who stood more by his side than behind him and occasionally nodded along to the conversation. One of the other three, head covered in an intricate purple and orange hijab, sometimes frowned at Legolas’ words, but kept most of her attention focused on doing something on her phone. The last two had their arms wrapped around each other’s waists in casual intimacy, and kept looking at their group and sneering, giggling at something only they knew what was. Being under their gaze made Keith highly uncomfortable, so he promptly sheltered himself behind his brother’s back again. 

Allura laughed, and so did Legolas, in an incredible combination of posh laughs, then Lance stomped out of the aisle. Well, he gave his best try at stomping, which ended up being squeezing past the tiny mob that was the aisle while pouting. He leant against the shelf by Keith’s side. 

“Who’s the fella?” Keith held back on adding ‘good looking’, because he felt the other wouldn’t appreciate it. 

“Their fathers were friends. He went with Allura to boarding school,” Lance muttered. Something laid under the information, lurking, and it felt like it was the words ‘ex boyfriend’. 

“And this is my research partner, Takashi,” Allura announced. Shiro straightened up in surprise. 

“Oh, no need for Takashi,” he approached Legolas and shook his hand. “Call me Shiro, please.” 

“Pleasure to meet you, Shiro.” 

Keith’s brows shut up his forehead. The guy managed to sound even fancier than Allura,  _and that was saying something._  

“Pleasure to meet you, Shiro,” Lance mimicked, in a sorry excuse for a British accent. 

Keith stifled a tiny laugh. “Did he do something to you?” 

“No. I just...” Lance scrunched up his face and did a weird hand motion, then exhaled, “I just didn’t like him.”  

After a couple of seconds, when it seemed he had nothing else to add, Keith turned back to where the rest of their friends were. Hunk and Pidge had joined the conversation, seemingly enthusiastically, and even Legolas’ girl friends looked more into it now. Keith wondered if he should try to join in too. Was he being exceptionally introverted or was it okay, considering he didn’t knew the boy? 

“Wanna get out of here?” 

“What?” Keith frowned at the sudden question. 

“Wanna get out of here?” Lance repeated. “Just out of this aisle, at least. I’m boiling in here.” He smiled. “And that’s coming from the boy born in a tropical island.” 

Keith shrugged. “Sure.” 

He looked at Shiro and pointed away from where they were. He hoped he understood the message. His brother seemed confused but nodded and gave him a thumbs up anyway.

They walked out, dodging the group of terrified teens getting scolded by a middle aged woman with a wine bottle in hand that were blocking the exit. Lance roamed around restlessly while Keith followed, glad he got an excuse to walk away from everyone a little bit. He would rather it wasn’t with Lance, but it was better than nothing, and the guy wasn’t half bad when he wasn’t talking his head off. 

Turns out the only part of the supermarket that wasn’t overflowing with people was the produce section, because most spring breakers don’t go shopping for lettuce and extra ripe bananas. To their great happiness, some of the vegetables laid in a wall of refrigerated shelfs, which was an imperfect but useful substitute to the malfunctioning AC. 

“Yes,” Lance celebrated, unsticking his shirt from the sweat in his back so a little cool air could slide in. “I’ve never been happier to see salad my entire life.” 

A little girl speeded past them, flailing her hands around and making sounds, her light up sneakers reflecting on the linoleum floor. A couple seconds later, she backtracked and stopped right in front of them. Looking them dead in the eyes, she held up a finger gun and aimed her pointer finger at Keith’s chest. 

“Pew.” 

Seeing he didn’t react, she tilted her head slightly to the side and frowned at him. Like that never happened to her before. 

“Pew,” she repeated, as if he hadn’t heard her the first time, and then, for good measure, she shot him again. “Pew pew.” 

Lance nudged him with his elbow. He looked at Keith with an expression that was new on his face, but that Keith knew quite well on his own brother’s face. Lips pressed together, eyes exaggeratedly opened, eyebrows raised into his hairline. Holding back a sigh, he faked a pain expression. 

“Oh no!” he exclaimed, putting a hand to his chest. The little girl’s eyes lit up at the scene. “I’ve been shot! Lance,” he placed his other hand on the other’s shoulder and looked at him, “I don’t think I will make it.” He sneaked a look to the girl to gaze at her reaction. She looked like she was having the time of her life. 

“No! Fight this, Keith. I know you can,” Lance answered, theatrically.  

“I don’t think I have the strength. It hurts.” 

“No, please.” Lance wrapped an arm around his waist, and Keith took that as a cue to let himself fall back. If Lance  _dared_ to let him fall down, he was going to hear about it forever. 

“Tell my brother,” he whispered, faking a raspy breathless voice, and touched Lance’s cheek, “I love him.” 

He closed his eyes. Lance let out a weird strangled howl. A couple seconds went by. Keith remained limp in Lance’s arms. He opened an eye to peek. The little girl seemed unsure whether to giggle or to be sad, still wielding her finger gun. Some feet behind, a couple pushing a cart filled with sandwich cookies and boxed juices looked at them strangely. 

“Becky?” the woman called. “Let’s go, honey.” 

She turned to her parents and ran up to them, jumping so her father would catch her in his arms. She waved at them. 

“Bye, friends!” she said, and then snuggled her face in her father’s neck, leaving Keith dead and still hanging from Lance’s arms. 

He opened the other eye and looked up. 

“Hey,” Lance smiled, very close. His face was covered in tiny sun freckles. “Great acting. Oscar worthy. Did you go to drama school?” 

“Thanks, I think I got it.” Keith unwrapped himself from the embrace and stood up. He resisted the urge to straighten non existent creases in his clothes. “You were an A+ costar.” 

“How  _dare_  you critique my acting, Keith Kogane? I’ll let you know my little nieces and nephews  _love_  my cinematic talents.” 

“Whatever.” He took a deep breath. Leant against the produce, arms crossed over his fake bullet wound. “Do you think anyone’s looking for us?” 

“Psssh! They’re still probably swooning over Mr. Boarding School back there.” Lance fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “Do you...want to go back?” 

“No. I just don’t want to get left behind at this god forsaken supermarket.” 

“Well, out of all the places to get left behind, a supermarket is definitely the best one.” 

“Uh, objection. Target.” 

“Target  _is_  a supermarket.” 

“Oh my God. No, it isn’t! Target is a store.” 

“And aren’t supermarkets stores?” 

“They’re a specific subcategory of stores that sell food. Target does not sell only food, and therefore is  _not_  a supermarket.” 

Lance put his arms up and showed his palms in surrender. 

“Okay, okay. Who knew you would get so wound up about Target. You do you, bud.” He patted Keith’s back. 

“I’m not...” he shook Lance’s hand away. His ability to switch between cool guy and annoying prick was astonishing. 

The cooling machine that blew cold air into the shelves made a humming noise. There were people chanting ‘we want hot Cheetos’ somewhere in the aisles. A song was stuck in Keith’s head. An old lady chose oranges, pressing them with her thumb with a little more force than necessary, and threw them in a plastic bag. Lance’s phone rang, and his ringtone was Britney Spears, which did not surprise Keith at all. 

“Hello,” Lance picked up. “Yup. Yeah. Sorry.” He made a scared face, slowly turned towards Keith, and ran his finger right over his Adam’s apple. “We’re fucked,” he mouthed, to make sure the other got the message. “Yeah. Be right there. Bye.” He slid his phone back into his pocket, then clasped his hands together. “So, I got good news and bad news. Good news is you were right and they  _were_  looking for us. Bad news is they waited for us at checkout and we never showed up to help, so now we have to load and unload the car all by ourselves. They’re waiting at the parking lot.” 

Keith sighed. When they left, the cart was already packed. It was going to take ages to unload everything with just him and Lance. Specially under the scorching sun of the parking lot. “Fucking awesome. Let’s go, then.” 

No one actually seemed pissed when the two of them finally made it out of the supermarket. Coran was chilling inside the van, enjoying the AC, while the rest of their friends were sat at the curb, eating ice cream. 

“You got ice cream? _Without_ _me?_ ” Lance cried out. 

“People who disappear for forty five minutes while you wait in line don’t deserve ice cream,” Hunk said. 

“That’s cold. I thought we were bros.” 

“Don’t you threaten me with our friendship.” 

“Well, I don’t need it anymore, ‘cause now I got my man Kogane right here.” Lance threw an arm around Keith’s shoulders. “Isn’t that right, Kogane?” 

“Someone just please open the trunk,” Keith asked. 

“Betrayal! I have no one left to my name, nor my best friend or my worst enemy!” 

“Two seconds ago I was ‘my man Kogane’ and now I’m your worst enemy?” Keith asked, arms filled with the bags Lance was supposed to be helping him unload. “Change your mind much?” 

“I have sensitive feelings.” 

“Can you and your feelings just load the freaking car?” 

“What’s the magic word?” 

Keith clenched his teeth. That guy. Grabbing a handful of the heavier bags, he stepped up to Lance and smirked before shoving the groceries into him and muttering, “Abracadabra.” 

Lance responded with another smirk and calmly took the bags from Keith’s hands. 

“As you wish, sir.” 

Why resist it, right? If the guy wanted to be rivals, then let them be. Keith was going to be a rival for the ages. Because little did Lance know, Keith thrived in competition. He wanted it as much as Lance did. His body ached for it, that thrill. He wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity knocking on his door. So of course loading the car turned into a competition–or rather a series of competitions. Who could carry more bags. Who could load a certain amount of bags faster. Who could better organize the groceries in the trunk. They were brought to a truce when Allura heard their bickering and picked up her own weight in groceries like it was nothing, just to remind them she could bench press them any day.

“Nice. Let’s go, beautiful people!” Lance celebrated, closing the trunk with a loud thud. 

“No.” Shiro pressed his palm against his chest. “Take the cart back.” 

“Really?” he cried out. “We’re so far away!” 

“ _Lance_. Cart.”  

Lance groaned. 

“And take Keith with you.” 

Lance and Keith groaned in unison. 

“Why?” Keith complained. “What did I do?” 

“This is still part of your punishment. Come on. Chop chop.” 

“I’m gonna murder you while you sleep,” the younger brother mumbled under his breath, grabbing the cart and heading to the return area. Lance followed, bearing his defeat on his slumped shoulders. 

Midway to their destination, a wicked grin crossed Lance’s lips. Keith, oblivious to what that specific smile meant (trouble, and big), looked at him and asked, ever the polite gentleman, “Why the fuck you’re smiling?” 

“I have an idea.” Lance took the cart from his hands. “Get in.” 

“What?” 

He gesticulated towards the inside of the cart. “Get in.” 

“No!” 

“Come on, it’s going to be fun!” 

“Then why don’t you do it?” 

“Because my legs are too long to fit inside there.” 

“I’m taller than you!” 

“Come on, Kogane. I’m telling you it’s going to be fun. What? Are you,” Lance pumped his eyebrows suggestively, “ _scared?_ ” 

Keith really hated that that worked on him, but it did. Cursing Lance mentally, he crawled into the cart the most dignifying way he could–which he had a feeling wasn’t dignifying in any level, because he was a nineteen year old entering a shopping cart–and pulled his knees to his chest. 

“Ready?” the other boy asked, leaning into the bar in what was nearly a 45 degree angle. 

“Ready.” 

Lance started running. Running fast. The asphalt on the parking lot was not at all smooth, bumps and cracks making the cart’s wheels wiggle insanely. Keith clenched his teeth in fear of biting his tongue. The metal grid dig into his skin through his clothes, and he held desperately to the sides, in hope of holding himself in place. Lance took his feet of the ground and stood on the axis of the back wheels. 

It is...fun. It feels like being a little kid all over again and being able to do dumb shit because you don’t know better and there’s so much to the world left to discover. 

Lance let out a loud scream, as if he was going down a rollercoaster, and Keith turned to look at him. And he laughed. Keith laughed, and it bubbled in his stomach, and it felt incredible. Then, a second later, the realization hit. 

They are going towards the cart return area, and they’re going fast. There are no breaks. There is no other option other than collision. Keith realizes Lance knew this from the beginning, and curses himself for not thinking about it. The lanes of carts are getting closer and closer, and they’re not going any slower. So, he braced himself. Held on to the sides of the cart like it was his only chance of salvation and tried to sit as in the bottom as he could, in hopes that this meant he wouldn’t be thrown out. Before they could even get to the rest of the carts, they hit a hole in the asphalt. Their cart dipped into it and the front wheels stayed stuck, while the momentum throwed them both forward. Keith tucked his head between his shoulders and attempted a tumble, but his elbows slithered on the rough pavement, and he knew by the grunts he heard that the same thing has happened to Lance. 

When he opened his eyes, they were sprawled on the ground, knees and elbows grazed, heads hurting and hearts pounding. Then Lance looked at him and started to laugh. 

“I can’t believe you let me do this.” 

“Remind me to  _never_  trust you again.” 

“Deal.” 

“I don’t want to get up.” 

“Me neither. Count of three?” 

“One.” 

“Two.” 

“Three.” 

Neither of them got up. They laughed. Keith sighed. 

“We’re going to get run over by a car.” 

“Yeah, we really should get up.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Remember to leave kudos and comment if you liked, it makes a big difference!
> 
> Feel free to talk about what are your thoughts so far and make constructive criticism, it's always appreciated.
> 
> Lots of love!
> 
> (And by popular demand (one person lol) I now use quotations instead of indents to indicate dialog. I looked up the punctuation rules online, so they may not be 100% correct. Hope it's more comfortable to everyone.)


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